In an interview with the LA Times, Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra bemoaned the reception of Kraven the Hunter and Madame Web. Both films suffered terrible box-office returns and awful critical receptions. Vinciquerra immediately laid into critics for the fate of both projects. Responding to a question about changing the direction of the Sony Spider-Man Universe, he called it “snake-bitten.” Vinciquerra also claimed, “If we put another one out, it’s going to get destroyed, no matter how good or bad it is.“
Tony Vinciquerra became president of Fox TV in 2001. The following year, he climbed higher to manage the entire Fox Networks infrastructure. He logged a ton of massive accomplishments in the world of TV. Vinciquerra joined Sony in 2017 and immediately made waves. One of his big moves at Sony was to increase collaboration between their games and film/TV branches, securing projects like Uncharted and The Last of Us. He’ll leave on a down note, stepping away from the role in January 2025 after Kraven the Hunter.
Sony Pictures CEO Says Kraven the Hunter and Madame Web Flopping Was the Critics’ Fault
Tony Vinciquerra does not mince words when it comes to assigning blame. When the LA Times asked him about his performance as CEO, he mentioned the very bad note he’s going out on. Kraven the Hunter was a record-breaking box-office failure, and Madame Web wasn’t too far behind it. He immediately accused the press of praying for the Sony Spider-Man Universe’s downfall. He stated, “For some reason, the press decided that they didn’t want us making these films.” Vinciquerra blames the critics who “crucified” and “destroyed” the films in the press. The 70-year-old CEO cites Venom as an example of success in spite of the critics. When the interviewer questioned the brand’s future, he called the SSU “snake-bitten.” The only way to break the curse, he seems to claim, is to find a new path forward for Sony’s favorite superhero.
As Vinciquerra doubtlessly knows, the Sony Spider-Man Universe films suffered diminishing returns. Morbius, Madame Web, and Kraven the Hunter appear as a precipitous downward drop on a line graph. The Venom trilogy outperformed all non-Venom entries, but they each earned less money than the last. Vinciquerra is also likely well aware of each film’s critical reception. They aren’t as straightforward as the financial returns. Madame Web has the worst critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, but Kraven the Hunter has worse box-office numbers. The most successful SSU entry is Venom, but the original 2018 outing sits beneath its two sequels in critical reception. The Rotten Tomatoes scores don’t translate directly to the box-office failure. A more logical explanation comes from every other franchise. The main determining factor in whether a franchise piece will succeed is its predecessor’s quality. Having to follow Madame Web killed Kraven more than any review could.
If I may speak as the critic who addressed both Madame Web and Kraven the Hunter for this very site, I had nothing to do with these films flopping. No one needs me or my peers to see that these films are terrible. If I somehow caused Madame Web and Kraven the Hunter to flop, I’d put that information on my resume. I may still do so, and I encourage all movie reviewers, big or small, to do the same. If anyone in my profession feels a bit low, I encourage you to remember that a CEO worth millions blames you for his terrible superhero movies flopping. Maybe we’re the real heroes on this one.
